Current location in this text. Enter a Perseus citation to go to another section or work. Full search
options are on the right side and top of the page.

Anato'lius

professor of law at BERYTUS. In the second preface to the Digest (Const. Tantra. § 9), he is mentioned by Justinian, with the titles vir illustris, magister, among those who were employed, in compiling that great work, and is complimented as a person descended from an ancient legal stock, since both his father Leontius and his grandfather Eudoxius " optinam sui memoriam in legibus reliquerunt." He wrote notes on the Digest, and a very concise commentary on Justinian's Code. Both of these works are cited in the Basilica. Matthaeus Blastares (in Praef. Syntag.) states, that the " professor (ἀντικένσωρ) Thalelaeus edited the Code at length; Theodorus Hermopolites briefly; Anatolius still more briefly; Isidorus more succinctly than Thalelaeus, but more diffusely than the other two."
It is possibly from some misunderstanding or some misquotation of this passage, that Terrasson (Histoire de la Jurisp. Rom. p. 358) speaks of an Anatolius different from the contemporary of Justinian, and says that this younger Anatolius was employed by the emperor Phocas, conjointly with Theodorus Hermopolites and Isidorus, to translate Justinian's Code into Greek.
This statement, for which we have been able to find no authority, seems to be intrinsically improbable. The Constitutio, Omnem (one of the prefaces of the Digest), bears date A. D. 533, and is addressed, among others, to Theodorus, Isidorus, and Anatolius. Now, it is very unlikely that three jurists of similar name should be employed conjointly by the emperor Phocas, who reigned A. D. 602-610.
There was probably some confusion in the mind of Terrasson between the emperor Phocas and a jurist of the same name, who was contemporary with Justinian, and commented upon the Code.

Anatolius held several offices of importance.
He was advocatus fisci, and was one of the majores judices nominated by Justinian in Nov. 82. 100.1. Finally, he filled the office of consul, and was appointed curator divinae domus et rei private. In the exercise of his official functions he became unpopular, by appropriating to himself, under colour of confiscations to the emperor, the effects of deceased persons, to the exclusion of their rightful heirs.
He perished in A. D. 557, in an earthquake at Byzantium, whither he had removed his residence from Berytus. (Agath.Hist. 5.3.)

William Smith. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. London. John Murray: printed by Spottiswoode and Co., New-Street Square and Parliament Street. In the article on Soranus, we find: "at this present time (1848)" and this date seems to reflect the dates of works cited. 1873 - probably the printing date.